Deccan Plateau Wines

Deccan Plateau Wines have launched completely natural, sophisticated, classic, regional Indian wines with delicate and complicated flavors. The wines will not only compliment food, but also bring in a statement of traditional values, a sense of style, and refinement, enhancing the wine experience.

The range of wines launched by Deccan Plateau include Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz , Zinfandel, Cabernet-Shiraz , Shiraz-Cabernet-Merlot .

Speaking on the launch of the new range of products, wine makers and promoters of Deccan Plateau wines Nitin Shinde and Girish Kamble said the brand of wines will raise the quality bar very high and believe it will be finally India’s turn to capture the international wine markets.

The wines will be exported to Europe, United States and South Africa. While domestically they will be launched in Pune, Goa, and Aurangabad immediately and will be soon made available in Mumbai, Mr. Shinde added

Our Wines show a harmonious blend of the incomparable and distinct flavors of the spices (sweet, sour, pungent, bitter, salty and astringent), bringing in a balance of the elements, they added.

The launch of Trivalli (Shiraz-Cabernet-Merlot) wines is first for any wine maker in the country, they added. The wine is fresh with intense black currants, blackberries, cherries and a spicy clove character, the wine will soon be a connoisseur’s delight, they added.

The highest quality grapes are nurtured at our organic farms and then blended to perfection; the wines have been produced from grapes ensuring quality control right from the plantation

Deccan Plateau believes in selecting grape varietals, all cultivated using organic fertilizers and pesticides, and is nothing short of a revolution in wines and wine making.

Organic farming at our vineyards ensures limited yield of very high quality grapes, along with meticulous supervision of the grape varietals from Canopy Management, Nutrient management to Water Management, Mr. Kamble added.

He added that Deccan Plateau Vineyards is located about 35 km from the city of Pune, located on the fertile plains of River Bhima, on plush 17 acres of account for one of the most beautiful winery and finest vineyards of the country.

By next year they plan we plan to introduce Rose Wine as well as Sauvignon Blanc (white) wines. Rose’s will be semi-sweet and refreshing; while Sauvignon Blanc, traditionally grassy and herbaceous, will come with a fruity flavor with a hint of eucalyptus.

Mr. Kamble and Mr. Shinde said that Deccan Plateau also offered professional consultancy services right from plantation vineyard to vinery techniques because of their rich background and hands on experience with renowned international vineries.

The services include Vineyard design, development and management , wine-making, Winery design , Building design , Process design ,Machinery and Contract Production , and Contract Wine-making and contract Bottling.

Good Earth Winery adds another wine to their collection and launches Antaraa. Antaraa, which means “verse” in Hindustani classical music, is a new twist on the classic blend of two varietals with deep roots in the Nasik Valley.

Like a duet, it is a subtle, seductive coupling of new Cabernet Sauvignon and oak-aged Shiraz. Listen carefully as the younger Cabernet weaves spirited riffs around the formal melodic structure provided by the more mature Shiraz We have “tuned” the blend just as you would a musical instrument.

Subtle flavours of plum, blackcurrants and spice are held together by a backbone of soft tannins. Antaraa enhances various milder curries and both hard and soft cheeses. Experience the music of Antaraa with spicy pizzas and creamy pasta dishes.

Antaraa is a red wine that is particularly designed for the warm Indian climate. Serve it chilled, between 12 degrees C and 15 degrees C. Drink it year round, but especially in the monsoon.

Good Earth winery is a boutique winery; and have launched with a range of three varietals. They are a “virtual” winery in that they lease state-of -the -art winery facilities and draw upon best production practices, but use their own raw materials and know-how to make their own wine. To this end, they source, age and bottle their wines in Nasik, focusing on the very highest parameters of quality.

Across cities there is a differing association on the beverage. Wine has a high association with business occasions in Delhi. However Bangalore, considers wine a drink for successful people and for relaxation purposes. In Mumbai wine is perceived to be a drink suited for any season.

When it comes to price, both Delhi and Bangalore consider wine an expensive drink. However in Mumbai price is not a concern for consumers of the beverage. Possibly the existence of a more evolved consumer base with a higher proportion of entrenched users that cuts across age groups might be a reason for this attitude towards wine prices in Mumbai.

Among the different variants of wine available in India, the red wines are consumed the most with 82 percent consuming it in the last three months and red wine has a more stable base of consumers. They are the category drivers. Though consumers have experimented with white wine, after a brief flirtation they prefer to go back to red wine. The level of experimentation with different variants of wine and different brands is higher in Delhi and Bangalore and amongst men. Bangalore despite having a younger consumer base is conservative when it comes to wine experimentation.

“Wine holds a distinct position in the Indian consumers’ mind. It is seen as a sophisticated, stylish drink as compared to other alcoholic beverages, like Whiskey, Scotch and Rum that are considered men’s drink or Gin, which is considered a woman’s drink. Lately with more international players entering the market, the Indian consumer has only progressed in their indulgence of wine,” said Arti Verma, Associate Director, The Nielsen Company.

Perceptions about wine

Perceptions about wines are galore, including some myths and some realities. Nearly eight in ten (78%) Indian wine consumers believe that wine should be served in wine glasses only. While 76 percent believe that the wine should match the type of food eaten, very few actually put that to practice.

“Wine does not dictate the choice of food. Lack of proper knowledge about wines is a reason for such consumption patterns. There is scope to educate the Indian consumer on the right pairings of food and wine so that the experience with the wine can be enhanced for the consumer,” said Verma.

Consumption habits

More than six out of ten (62%) Indians consume wine only out of home, typically at a friend’s place or in restaurants and pubs. Even for those who consume wine both in and out of home (32%), out of home consumption is much higher. Wine consumption is mainly during special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, etc. for both in home and out of home consumption. Other occasions include change in taste and before or with any meal, for in home consumption and business meetings and giving company to someone, for out of home consumption.

About the Survey

Nielsen Syndicated Wine Study 2010 delves into the growing wine consumer base in India to understand consumer perceptions and interaction with the category and brands. The survey was conducted across three cities, Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore, among SEC A over legal drinking age. Respondent was someone who consumes wine at least once a month and who has been consuming wine for the past six months. A total of 460 respondents were surveyed.

About The Nielsen Company
The Nielsen Company is a global information and media company with leading market positions in marketing and consumer information, television and other media measurement, online intelligence, mobile measurement, trade shows and business publications. The privately held company is active in more than 100 countries, with headquarters in New York, USA. For more information, please visit, www.nielsen.com.

Wine and Art has been gaining prominence in the Metro cities in India but an art gallery in Delhi is organising an exhibition of Wine in Art by getting together a dozen promising and known artists, displaying over 40 paintings connected with wine in various forms.

‘Mile Surra Mera Tumhara’ as the title suggests, is ‘my wine meets yours,’ a rather heady way of saying- cheers, salute, salud, cin-cin, prost etc while clinking ‘my wine glass with yours’. The 41 paintings made in different media have been priced very reasonably at Rs.10, 000-50,000, a majority being on the lower to mid level a few exceptions go for Rs.75,000, according to Jaswinder Singh, the owner of Mystiq Art Gallery in D-3, Defence Colony.

‘This is an Art and Wine show that will leave you intoxicated in more ways than one. Wine in its various form is a wonderful catalyst to unite the opposites, to find common ground in debates, to make the seemingly impossible, a little possible. Its effects are heady and in moderation even Indian Wine Academy recommends it’, says Jaswinder.

‘The images are so vivid, the characters so engrossed with the wine, you would be forgiven for feeling heady! The images have a common notion of a drifting away from reality as the wine does its magic. Even though some of the characters seem to drool and appear to be tipsy, there is an innocent naivety about them,’ explains Jaswinder.

Amit Shrivastava, Andhra, Balesh Jindal, Gauri of Bhopal, Chinthala Jagadish, Rupinder, Sanjay Majumdar, Sanjay Punekar, Shridhar Iyer, Suleman, Tirthanker Biswas, Umesh Kumar Saxena are the dozen artists participating.

Read article

Source:indianwineacademy

Riona Wines Pvt. Ltd . A 15 lakh liters capacity project started by a set of dynamic directors, lead by Mr. K.T. Mane , under a joint venture & technical collaboration with the leading Italian wine producing companies viz, Terre Cortesi Moncaro & Cantina Enzo Mecella. Our Italian allies, Mr. Doriano Marchetti & Mr. Enzo Mecella will lend a handy experience in the wine making as well as maintaining the standards as the wines in Italy

About MONTECAROTTO
Vineyards: The area of vineyards in the Cellar of Montecarotto is 800 acres of which 450 of Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico. Verdicchio here is the undisputed king in the vine. Other varieties grown are Malvasia and Trebbiano.

Microclimate: The hills of the Castelli di Jesi are among the most vulnerable in the Marche region. Currents coming from the sea and the north, give ideal summer temperature for white wines. The soils are predominantly sandy and clay soils. The most important feature of the area is the variability of climates and soils on the foothills area.

History: Cantina di Montecarotto was built in 1972, in order to make available the premium quality vines and wines, in the vineyards and in the Cellar.

Wine Cellar: Cellar of Montecarotto aims at separate processing of grapes from different vineyards. Extreme care in working in cellar with most modern technology, soft pressing with pneumatic press ,temperature controlled techniques are aimed at creating the conditions which lead to obtain great quality of white wines

Riona Wines, a joint venture between the Sangli-based grape grower KT Mane and Cantine Enzo Mecella and Terese Cortesi Moncaro, expects to

crush its first harvest in February 2010. However, the Indo-Italian joint venture is not waiting to launch Indian wines. Instead, it is launching its Italian range of wines from the Marche region.

The joint venture wine company has begun with the marketing of imported Italian wines although Enzo Mecella, owner of the Cantine Enzo Mecella, a winery from the Marche region of Italy, said they will also import wine in bulk from their Italian locations.

This wine will be bottled at the Riona winery in Sangli, western Maharashtra. “We will make local Indian wine, preferably reds. We will also import wine in bulk from our Italian wineries and bottle it here. At the top-end, we will bring in our own bottled wines,” Mr Mecella explained.

Riona Wines, in which Mr Mane holds 64% while the balance 36% is divided equally between Enzo Mecella, owner of the Cantine Enzo Mecella, and the Terese Moncaro cooperative, will require an investment of Rs. 18 crore.

Other Related News and information to share from web:

The collection includes two limited-edition varietal red wines from Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, both made with the best quality grapes handpicked from the oldest vineyards in the Sahyadri Valley of Maharashtra. A nine-month maturation in new French oak barriques (small oak barrels) lends these wines a subtle complexity, an enigmatic bouquet, a velvety texture and a lingering finale, offering wine connoisseurs the best elements every good wine should bring to the palate. Testimony to this is the fact that the wines have already picked up awards at the recently held Sommelier India Wine Competition, with the Four Seasons Barrique Reserve Shiraz 2008 winning Bronze, while the Four Seasons Barrique Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 winning a Commendation.

The Four Seasons Barrique Reserve wines have been meticulously and passionately created by Abhay Kewadkar, India’s most respected winemaker and a renowned name in the world of wine. ”The Four Seasons Barrique Reserve Collection is all about quality, structure and character. Offering excellent varietal definition, these wines truly live up to their ‘reserve’ designation, and fill a very important gap in our portfolio” says Abhay Kewadkar, Chief Wine Maker & Business Head, FSWL.

Making it easy for the consumer to recognize the offering, the packaging of the reserve wines carries forward the Four Seasons’ identity, yet is differentiated to reflect the premium quality of the wine through an enhanced look and feel. The ‘reverse-tapered tall bottle design’ is imported, as is the natural cork closure which was chosen as the wines have good cellarability. The label graphics have been presented in full gold to portray the premium imagery of the brand and the rich character of the wines.

The Four Seasons Barrique Reserve Collection is currently available in Bangalore priced at Rs 900/- for a 750ml bottle. The wines have already hit the Mumbai and Pune markets and will soon be available in Kolkata and Goa as well this year.

Mumbai. A city of Dreams.

A dramatic platform of fame, fortune…eternal hope.
Exuberant. Warm. Alive.
The epicenter of powerful vibrations called India!
Mumbaai Dreamz is an ode to the common man, the real hero…Mumbaikar whose iron will and relentless energy is the true spirit of the city.
On a fateful day of 26/11 a cowardly act of terrorism tried to shatter this undying spirit and like every other mumbaikar we were left frustrated groping for the answers to such repeated abuse of our beloved city.
Hopelessly sifting through the media autopsy which followed the incidence, a curious article though brightened our spirits. Some one had suggested a numerological correction to the name with an additional “a” to ward off all the evils and make Mumbai a better and safer place to live in. Although we are a bunch of non believers, we did not loose this opportunity and…. MUMBAAI DREAMZ !!!
Whilst searching for one, we realized that we stumbled upon the answer for the other, an interesting antidote with the power of “a”.

In “Mumbaai” the son found his (Mumb)aai…mother and the foster identified his Mum(baai), M(umb)aa(i) who welcomed him with open arms, sharing all the love and warmth…treating him as her own.
The “Mumbaai D” was designed to strike an instant rapport with the common man, an average Indian.
Though the physical attributes of the wine were maintained at traditional Bordeaux, the amber color bottle was a deliberate attempt tried for the first time in India. As Indians we are brought up with the memories of this colour, as a hallmark shade of the bottle of our childhood cough syrup or the omnipresent beer bottles strewn around the neighbourhood kabadiwala. The amber, unlike the traditional green did not come with a baggage of snobbery and developed a better bond with the janata making the wine native and more approachable than her reputation otherwise.
The sheer metal screw caps signify the rawness of the metal used as utensils in traditional Indian kitchens. The bare metal also reflects the austere surface treatment of our trains, buses and other means of daily commute.
The smart neck tag however makes a statement, flaunting the style and chutzpah of Mumbai.
The labels are conceptualized to immortalize the city and freeze her images which are fast changing colours and characters. Of the two elements which describe her identity, the monuments rekindle the sense of belonging and the mode de transport reinforces the common bond which binds every mumbaikar from a jet setter to a road squatter.
The shimmering “mu” in devanagari brings out the exotic Indian flavor, a la desi tadka style.
The labels capture the shades of the city at different hours. The early morning locals trudging out of CST station, the ubiquitous BEST buses enjoying mid noon siesta at University depot and the late evening taxis hustle at Flora fountain.
The bright colours of the back label contrasts the grunge look of the front, a symbolic play of dull and bright moments of the city life. The graphic silhouette of Maharashtra marks Mumbai and Igatpuri Climbs in a lotus formation, the insignia of Indus vineyards.
Mumbaai Dreamz is first of the series acknowledging the spirit of the ordinary citizen and his contribution in shaping the character of the city that we proudly represent.
Come, unfold the Dreamz of Mumbaai and Indulge in India!

TASTING NOTES:

The “Mumbaai D” embodies the spirit of this animated city. Simple, easy, approachable yet alluring, vivid and vivacious.
Like the amazing city of contrasting colours, her distinct identity is conceived after a delicate mélange of the nobles and natives of the wine world.
At Rs 295/- MRP, “Mumbaai D” achieves the super symmetry between quality and affordability.

The Red Wine

Mumbaai red displays spicy fruit aromas with a hint of oak and cream wafers.
On the palate the wine is soft and round with restrained tannins.
Unfold the Dreamz with red meats, biryanis, robust Indian
preparations or simply enjoy on your own with just about anything.
The dreamz reveal the best at 15-17°C

The Whites

Mumbaai white exhibits grassy herbaceous notes of her parental inheritance.
The palate presents a crisp acidity and a refreshing finish.
Unfold the Dreamz with sea foods, paneer, lightly spiced Indian preparations or simply enjoy on your own with just about anything.
The dreamz reveal the best at 10-12°C

The Roses

The rosé exudes tropical fruit aromas with a hint of honey lemon.
The palate reveals a delicate silky texture and balanced fruit acidity.
Unfold the Dreamz with white meats, kebabs, medium spiced Indian preparations or simply enjoy on your own with just about anything.
The dreamz reveal the best at 10-12°C

Nasik- Even though there is recession in the business world, 10 new wine projects have been set up. Also the production of wine has increased to 13 lakh 29 thousand liters. Four new wineries have been set up in Nasik, which has helped it retain its leading position in wine production. Out of over all 74 projects in the country, 34 projects are set up in Nasik.

    The ten projects which have been set up in Nasik also include the three projects of ‘Dindori’ & one of ‘Wadiwareh’, in Nasik district. Hindustan Construction Company has also started a new big project & talks for agreement with the local grape growers are in progress for increasing cultivation of grapes. There are 3 wineries at Sangli, & 1 each at Pune, Solapur & Usmanabad. There has been a total direct investment of 431.71 crore INR for these projects. If thought about other investments, it’s a grand amount says Technical Wine Consultant Dr. Jaideep Kale. In 2001, the state government declared the “Maharashtra Grapes Foreign Business Policy”. Even though many doubts were raised against this project, Kale said, grape growers in Nasik were ready to make big investments & use foreign techniques for grape farming. This attitude of the Nasik grape growers helped in ‘good publicity’.

    When the state declared the policy, there were 62 projects of a capacity of 2.15 crore liters. These included 2 in Karnataka & 1 each in Andhra Pradesh & Madhya Pradesh. There were 58 wineries in Maharashtra producing 99 lakh liters said Dr. Kale. Due to heavy tax on wine in neighboring states & the remaining stock, few winery owners were in a dilemma on weather to crush more grapes or not for its production, this resulted in a drop in prices of grapes. As there would be a huge quantity of grapes unused, thus in the March conference (2001) it was decided that all grapes be crushed.

Other Related News and information to share from web:

Our Climate
The beautiful Krishna River flows from spring-fed headwaters in India’s Western Ghats, a low range that provide protection from the monsoons of the Indian Ocean. Our site, in the rain shadow of the Ghats receives only 500 mm (20 inches) of rain during the monsoon season extending from June through September. Our growing season begins in October following the end of the monsoon, with bloom occurring in November when daytime highs reach a pleasant 30°C. The pleasantly warm growing season continues without rain until February when the days begin to get a little longer and the temperature a little warmer – perfect for adding a last bit of concentration and flavor to our perfectly ripened grapes.

Our Vineyards
Recognizing that great wines are grown, not made, is the most important step in establishing a world-class winery in a new region. Grape growing has more that a 50-year history in the Krishna valley, now lifelong table grape growers are beginning to plant fine wine varieties and use rootstock. GPRI’s experienced viticulturists spend many hours each week with local growers teaching the fundamentals of quality wine grape production, low yields, deficit irrigation, careful leafing to ensure good sun exposure for every cluster, and the importance of harvesting grapes only when they are fully mature.

Our own estate vineyards are planted along a rugged, rocky swell. Topsoil is absent and the vines are planted into a loose red sandstone. Indeed, the rocky appearance of our vineyards is reminiscent of the great terroirs of Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Priorat. This soil naturally devigorates our vines, reducing their canopy and allowing speckled sunlight to reach the clusters throughout the day.

The rocky soil of our estate vineyard :-

Our varieties, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Sauvignon blanc, and Chenin blanc, were carefully chosen as good matches for our climate and growing conditions. The warm days allow our red varieties to achieve mature flavors and smooth tannins, the grapes are not picked until the seeds are fully brown and no green flavors remain. The stones of our terroir are reflected in our white wines, with bright acidity and a mineral finish being the hallmark of our Sauvignon blanc.

India is unique among other wine regions in the absence of a winter dormancy period. Instead of loosing their leaves following harvest our vines are pruned again in April before the start of the monsoon. During the monsoon the vines grow more slowly as the sun is often hidden behind the thick clouds blown over the Ghats from the ocean. This second vegetative growing season allows our vines to develop more quickly and establish deeper roots to support the vine during the long dry season.

Our Winemaking
White wine
Our white wines are harvested at the beginning of February when their natural acidity is still high. We prefer to harvest our Chenin blanc around 22°B while our Sauvignon blanc is brought in slightly riper at 24°B.

In our pursuit of quality and pure flavors we press our white grapes without destemming in a process known as whole-cluster pressing. This method takes much longer than first destemming, as fewer grapes can fit in the press. But it is well worth the effort as the clarity of the juice is preserved and no bitter flavors are transferred from the skin. After a day of cold settling the juice is carefully racked off the heavy lees and inoculated with premium French yeast cultures.

Dimple jacketed tanks keep our white wines cool during fermentation:-
Our white fermentations proceed slowly as we keep the temperature very cold – under 15°C – to preserve the aromas and freshness of the fruit. Once the grape’s natural sugar has been transformed into alcohol, the fermentation is complete. While we let our Sauvignon blanc ferment completely dry so there is no residual sugar, we stop the fermentation of the Chenin blanc when there is still a touch of sweetness. Following fermentation the wines are again racked several more times to achieve a sparkling clarity.

The Sauvignon blanc and Chenin blanc are both bottled young, only four months after harvest. It is our goal to deliver the freshness of the fruit in the vineyard directly to your table.

Rosé
Our Rosé or “Pink Wine” is made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz fruit that is selected in a final pruning of the vines three weeks before the red harvest. This fruit is harvested with only 21°B of sugar, resulting in lower alcohol wine meant to capture the early summer flavors of fresh red berries and watermelon.

Once harvested the fruit is destemmed and transferred to tank where over the course of several hours color is extracted an a lovely pink cast is achieved. The grapes are then gently pressed and transferred to tank for setting. From this point on the winemaking closely resembles that of white wine, a cool fermentation is stopped just short of dryness preserving a little sweetness and the wine is then racked several times before bottling.

Red Wine
Harvest of our red fruit begins in late February, when ripe mature flavors are achieved and the concentration of flavor is sufficient to make an intense wine of great depth. Typically the sugar will reach 24.5°B for the Cabernet and between 25 and 26°B for the Shiraz and Zinfandel.

The red clusters are hand picked into small picking baskets and carefully transported to the winery ensuring that each berry remains intact. Careful picking in the vineyard eliminates any damaged fruit. One by one each bin is dumped by hand into our destemmer while two sorters vigilantly pick over the fruit pulling out any stray leaves. The destemmed berries then fall, uncrushed, into a gentile passive-cavity pump that transports the fruit to tank.

After a two-day cold maceration at 10°C, the fruit is gently warmed and inoculated with carefully chosen strain of yeast. Pump-overs are performed three times a day through a screen so that no berry is pumped. Pump-overs cool the cap of skins and actively fermenting yeast cells that are carried to the top of the tank by the release of carbon dioxide.

Syrah being pumped over:-
Once the fermentation is complete the tank is drained of the wine and the pommace is then carried by hand to the press where a very soft pressing releases additional wine without crushing the seeds and extracting harsh tannins.

The wine is then transferred to a 1/3 new mix of French and American oak barrels. Racking from barrel to barrel is performed every three months as the wine ages in barrel for a full year before being bottled.

By Dr J K Kale
Technical Coordinator Wine parks
MIDC INDIA